Apple wouldn't exist anymore if they were ONLY concentrating on making good computers - in the end they need to make money and neither they nor I will care if it's with hardware or software or whatever.

And, indeed, Quicktime streaming technology might be a good way to generate a revenue stream for the future - let's pray they invest it in the R&D-work for a great new PDA :-)

And for the guesses concerning my name: its not, at least not concsiously, taken from "The life of Brian" - but I feel flattered by this assumption.

The phones from Sony Ericsson is nothing but rebranded phones from the old Ericsson Mobile Communications (Except for a few low-line phones from Sony). When Ericsson and Sony teamed up Ericsson Mobile Communications was split into two parts, Ericsson Mobile Platforms making the platforms and SonyEricsson making the shell. This explanation is at best sketchy but you get the picture...

This means that Ericsson Mobile Platforms (EMP) makes the platform for the phone and then sell it to Sony Ericsson who puts it in a shell and programms it. But Sony Ericsson isn't the only customer of EMP. For example LG and JVC is also rebranded phones from EMP, or at least they will be when they hit the market .

Now, if Apple was about to make a phone in conjunction with someone it wouldn't be with Sony Ericsson, because they simply don't make phones and sell them to another company for rebranding, that is what EMP does. And since Sony Ericsson is owned to 50% by Ericsson who also owns EMP, Sony Ericsson and EMP will not compete with each other. This constellation of ownership is complex and I am tired and no good at explaining things so I won't say more about it. But the conclusion is simple:

Apple will never make a phone in conjunction with Sony Ericsson. If they ever decide to release an Apple-branded phone it will be in conjunction with EMP, effectively competeing with Sony Ericsson. But I deem such an event highly unlikely.

My qualified guess (which in this case is more qualified than most peoples) is that Apple want to make friends in the industry to be able to deliver content later on.